10 Things You Need In Your Car’s Emergency Kit

With road trip season fast approaching, now is a great time to get your vehicle all prepared. Driving to new and exciting areas can be great fun, but what happens if your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere? It’s a good idea to keep an emergency kit in the back of your car just in case. Plus, many of the items on our list can even be found at the dollar store. Here are some of the most important items to keep in your vehicle emergency kit:

1. Jumper Cables or Battery Pack

Cars breaking down from battery failure is super common. So it’s always a good idea to carry some jumper cables in your vehicle. Even if your car never has this problem, you’ll be equipped to help someone else out when they need it. Even better is one of those rechargeable batteries with jumper cables that can jump your car from its own power source without the need for another vehicle. Many of these portable batteries include other goodies too like a power outlet, usb charging port, tire inflator and more, making it a great bargain.

2. Flashlight with extra batteries

A bright LED flashlight with extra batteries always comes in handy, even if your vehicle hasn’t broken down. Even better is an LED headlamp. These make it super easy to light up what’s in front of you while obviously still allowing you full use of both hands. This is great for when you need to change a tire or work under the hood of your car.

3. First Aid Kit

A good ol’ first aid kit is always a good idea. A pre-made kit usually includes everything you need for minor injuries that can occur on the road. If you prefer to make your own kit, some good things to include are bandages, gauze, self-adherent wrap, alcohol wipes, anti-itch cream, ibuprofen, Tylenol, antibiotic ointment, tweezers, scissors, and burn dressing.

5. Wind Up Radio

A wind up radio is great to have because it obviously doesn’t any batteries. These can come in handy to keep track of local emergency and weather alerts or even just keep you entertained if you end up stranded with no power.

4. Roadside Indicators

Flares are great to have with you if a situation arises in which you need them. If you don’t want to carry flares, there are many good lightweight plastic reflectors alternatives available that also do a great job.

6. Tool Kit

You should always carry the tools you need to change a tire. But on top of that, a basic tool kit with screwdrivers, wrenches, pliers, a hammer, and anything else you can fit in it always comes in handy. Even for non emergency situations I guarantee you’ll find yourself using it more than you think.

7. Emergency Blanket

Don’t be stranded in the cold. Emergency and thermal blankets are super cheap and don’t take up much space. It’s a good idea to keep one emergency space blanket for every seat in your car. If you’re ever forced to sleep in your car overnight you’ll be very thankful that you have a way to keep warm.

8. Spare Food & Water

Yes, food you’ve kept in your car for a while might not be the tastiest thing but it could save your life. You can stock up on some freeze dried meals from your local outdoors shop or just throw some canned food in your kit. You’ll want to make sure to replace the food whenever it expires. Bottled water in BPA free bottles is a great idea to keep as well. You can even take it a step further and purchase a water filter to keep you hydrated if your water supply runs out.

9. Lighter, Matches, or Fire starter

This is a must for any emergency kit. You never know when you might need a way to quickly create fire. Weather it’s building a campfire or making an emergency signal.

10. Napkins or Toilet paper

These can provide many different uses from cleaning a wound to providing dry fire kindling. Plus if you’re ever forced to use the restroom out in the wild, you’ll be very happy you had these in your emergency car kit.

A very important part of vehicle readiness is making sure that it’s in great running shape. You can do a lot to avoid having your vehicle break down in the middle of nowhere. We have a great service team in here Forest Lake that can help get your car, truck, or SUV in to amazing shape before your next trip. Use the button below to schedule your next service appointment with us.

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